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With the Liteon I can load software and play DVDs on my netbooks

I bought my Liteon ETDU108-01 DVD ROM three years ago when I wanted to watch DVDs on my ASUS netbook. I had considered buying a portable DVD player but realised that this would be a much cheaper option and would enable me to watch my discs on a 10 inch screen instead of a tiny one. I would also get the bonus of being able to upload software from discs instead of having to faff around downloading things from the internet.

I paid about £20 at the time but then never got round to actually using it because I didn't have any media software on my ASUS. When I bought a new Samsung netbook, a friend kindly spent a few hours messing about with it and set me up with a media player. Suddenly I was able to use the drive I'd had sitting around gathering dust.

I bought my Liteon from Amazon and it arrived in a small box that was barely bigger than the drive itself. I liked the way that the unit was designed with a groove in the base into which the cable for linking the drive to the computer slots neatly. If there's a cable to be lost, you can be sure I'll put it somewhere safe and never find it again. The drive feels a little cheap and very plastic but it's not ugly or offensive in any way.

I simply plug the cable into the drive at one end and the netbook at the other, open the unit with the slider on the top and pop a DVD inside and I'm ready to go. It has no batteries or power cables as it takes its power directly from the computer it's plugged into, so you do need to make sure that your device is plugged in or well charged if you want to get through a film without it running down. It plays DVDs, quietly and without any fuss and I've had no problems with it.

If you have a netbook or a laptop without an integrated DVD drive, I'd recommend getting one and this is a cheap and effective option. It weighs 260 g and is neat and slim so it won't take up much space in your bag but it will bring additional functionality to your computer for very little extra cost.

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Useful if your computer doesn't have an internal disk drive

I purchased this due to having a netbook which doesn't have an internal DVD drive. Since purchasing it, it's been one of the most useful things I've bought. Not only does it allow me to upload various essential things onto my computer, it also lets me watch DVDs and listen to CDs - as a student without a TV/DVD player this is essential! Therefore, it is most definitely an essential piece of equipment to have. There are a number of alternatives on the market, and a quick search on google produces several options. Having used both this model, and other alternatives, I do not hesitate in recommending the Liteon drive.

It comes in either black or white, and the design is of a good quality; it's a decent size and isn't too obtrusive or bulky. It is sturdy however, and doesn't break easily, even if dropped on the floor. Of course repeated misuse will damage it, but it is reassuring that it's relatively hardwearing. In addition, unlike many of the alternatives, it plays both CDs and DVDs, although it is unable to write DVDs; for my purposes this is not an issue although it may be something worth bearing in mind for others!

The drive is fairly easy to use, even for someone who is relatively inexperienced with technology. It plugs into the laptop or netbook via a USB cord, which is provided with the drive. The USB cord that comes with the purchase is relatively short and this does cause problems, as it means that the drive must be used in a space where there enough room to have both one's netbook and the drive itself on a level surface; when used on an uneven surface, the drive does not work as well as I would hope. However, longer replacement USB cords can be purchased relatively cheaply online and in specialist stores. The only other criticism I have of this is that occasionally the noise levels are too high, particularly when it is starting up and shutting down.

In conclusion, this is a brilliant piece of equipment which does not require huge amounts of technological skill to operate.

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Amazing for the price! I'd reccomend it to anyone!

This drive was bought for my Mum's netbook so we could use it to install a few things we had around. First thing to note is the build quality. Although not bombproof, the drive certainly won't break unless you try to make it do so. The drive is surprisingly quiet! i was expecting it to be quite loud but it sounded like a standard internal DVD drive does. The lack of need for a power supply was a big reason for investing in this model and in that respect it definately didn't disappoint. The performance of the drive is still a reasonable speed even though just powered by the USB ports. The Linux computer we plugged it into also had no problem recognising the drive which is a fear I had. Windows also recognised it fine although I have not tested it with my iMac. If you are looking for a sleek, compact, light and easy to use external DVD drive this is probably the best you will get for read only.

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Fantastic product - get it!

This little thing is fantastic. I got a great little Acer laptop for my birthday but it didn't have a disk drive which was obviously a bit of a setback but I bought this liteon drive as it was the cheapest one and it hasn't let me down. It's super quiet when you use it which is good - I remember my brother having a different external disk drive and it was so noisy but you can barely hear this one. This thing is really small too so it doesn't get in the way at all. It's very sleek and smooth and looks attractive. It's also very, very light which is great because it isn't difficult to cart it round with your laptop if you need it on the move. To be honest, if you need an external disk drive I wouldn't bother looking anywhere else - don't let the cheap price put you off. I took a bit of a risk as most cheap accesories I've bought have been rubbish but this is great value for money. I got mine for about £20 but you can probably get one for less if you shop around a bit.

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A great little disc drive

I am so very grateful that there is such a thing as portable external disc drives with USB cables for use with netbooks/laptops

*LiteOn eTDU108*

This external disc drive I bought is pretty basic, it came in a small box just big enough for the drive, software and installation instructions to fit into, so not much wastage there, it is black about the same size as an old portable CD player. Fitted neatly into the back of it is the USB cable, great idea so you can't lose it, only when wanting to use it one day, I'd forgotten the cable was neatly tucked away underneath and was going mad at my son for losing it, ooops!! I really did feel stupid when I remembered it was tucked away safely underneath. (I did apologize to him, honestly).

*Easy....*

Extremely easy to operate, good job as I'm the one operating it. It has a small switch that you slide across, in order to open the flip top cover on the device, to close you simply click the cover down gently. There is a button that lights up green when first plugged into your netbook/laptop and flickers whilst your disc is loading. It makes a small amount of noise while the disc communicates with your netbook/laptop, but nothing major, it's never bothered me that much. The light then goes out, this button is also the stop button which when pressed goes red. On the software disc you get all the usual things like the drivers user manual, Installation etc. etc. I never really bother with this, as I just plugged it in, insert the disc I want to use and it just works straight away.

*Getting started.....*

To start - Remove the protective film of the drive and remove the USB from underneath the drive. Plug the mini end of the USB cable into the back of the drive, and the USB in to a port on your netbook/laptop.

To load a disc - Slide the open switch to the right and this will release the top cover, place your disc inside the drive onto the pivot, taking care to place the disc correctly to ensure smooth operation. Then simply close the cover.

To remove a disc - Press stop which is on the top cover, this will stop the disc from spinning, slide the open latch to the right to release the top cover. Lift the disc, carefully off the pivot and remove it. It is advisable to wait for at least 15 seconds after the disc stops spinning, before you access the disc.

*Convenient.....*

I find it really easy to use, the top loading idea is great, the drive has proved reliable and convenient as it weighs less than 300g it's light enough to carry around with me, should I need to take it anywhere. I originally bought the disc drive for my son as we had bought him a netbook for his birthday, which of course has no disc drive of it's own. However he was not to impressed with the netbook because it hasn't got a lot of memory so the external drive I got him seemed like a waste of time. However during this past year I have had problems with my laptop which has resulted in my disc drive no longer working (I blame Norton Internet Security) I was told that Norton can disable certain things from your computer/laptop by an engineer at Techguys, hence, my disc drive has disconnected itself. So this has meant I have needed to use the external drive from time to time.

*Where from and how much.....*

I bought the Liteon DVD/CD Rewritable Drive from Argos but they don't seem to sell them anymore, however Amazon are currently selling these drives for £28.49

*Satisfied.....*

I have been really grateful I had this drive readily available to use. Only problem I have had, is the USB cable being so small, including the actual USB, the cable only measures around 7 inches, but this is easily rectified by using a longer cable, although it is advised not to use a cable that exceeds the length of 40 cm. To be fair I don't use the disc drive that much anyway, but it is a handy little thing to have, especially as I put my internet security on my laptop with a disc, I don't download it like a lot of people seem to do, I feel better about using a disc for some reason, but for the first time, I will not be renewing with Norton, we're going with someone else.

Watching DVDs and listening to CDs through my laptop with this little drive, is just like using the original drive, I am very pleased and indeed satisfied with this portable disc drive.

I can fully recommend this little portable disc drive, it's been a lifesaver for me and my laptop, maybe not a lot of use for my son, but at least it has not been a total waste of money. I can give this portable drive 5 stars because it's perfect for me.

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A very good little drive that has more then surpassed my expectations

I've had laptops for years, I like their portability and the fact I can take them with me. I could use them at university, on the train, just about anywhere. So of course, when netbooks came out I was over the moon, in my eyes they were the best thing since sliced bread. I could do everything that a laptop let me do only easier due to their smaller size.

However, the only draw back is the lack of a DVD drive and so when I got my netbook and realized I needed a DVD drive I went looking for the cheapest, most inexpensive one I could find. I wasn't expecting too much for the price (I paid £25 almost 2 years ago) but I had just spent hundreds on a netbook, why on earth would I want to spend hundreds more on a DVD drive?!

~*~ Appearance ~*~

In the box you get a DVD drive and a USB cable. What? That's it?! I can almost hear you saying.

Yes, that really is it. No power cable, no installation drive, nothing except the USB cable and the drive itself. The drive measures 14.3 x 14.2 x 2 cm and weighs just 299g (measurements and weight taken from Amazon). It hs just one switch on the front of the drive and this opens the lid enabling you to put disks in and take them out. There's also a little hole in the underneath of the drive which the USB cable clips into for easy storage when not in use.

Mine is black but I believe they also come in white.

~*~ Ease of Set Up ~*~

This, I believe, is where the drive really comes into its own. To use you simply take the USB cable from underneath the drive, plug it in and put your disk in. The disk automatically plays, no set up, no installation needed from you just plug it in and play!

The drive takes its power from your netbook and so no need for power cables.

~*~ The Playback ~*~

This is the only drive I have used and so can't compare it to any others on the market but the picture quality is excellent, the disk doesn't jerk even when used on the move, in trains etc. Just for the sake of this review I played a CD with the drive hanging vertically from my computer and it played with no skipping or problems. However I wouldn't recommend trying this at home!

The size is small enough to fit on top of my keyboard when in use so doesn't need to hang off the side or in any other strange positions. I've used this drive to play games, watch DVD's, play CD's and install software and it managed each of these just as well as any in-built drive would have.

Although the power is taken from my netbooks battery it doesn't appear to drain this too much. Usually watching films my battery would last almost four hours, when watching films through this drive the battery lasts just under 3.5 hours.

It is slightly loud for a drive, so it doesn't score too highly on the noise factor for me but then all drives make some kind of noise and you can hear the CD/film over this noise which is the most important point.

~*~ Availability and Pricing ~*~

I bought my drive from PC World almost 2 years ago for £25. I've found them recently on Amazon for £22 and they're now available in PC World for £36. That's quite a diference so it's worth shopping around.

~*~ Would I Recommend It? ~*~

Yes, This may not be the quietest drive on the market but considering I had very low expectations for the price I paid it has more then surpassed my hopes for it and even two years later its still going strong.

It gets 5 out of 5 from me

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A great product - highly recommended :)

Liteon eTDU108 - external disk drive

I recently bought a new netbook, which is the acer aspire one d250 and it is really cute and it is great for taking to uni, but the only draw back to it, is that it does not have its own internal disk drive - so I can't download software that is on a CD and I can't watch DVDs on it - so I bought this external disk drive from PC world.

*About the product and appearance*It looks quite nice and sleek - as far as external disk drives go! It is slim line and it is black with the open switch at the front and it comes with its own usb cable, which is really really short so you may need to get a longer one.

One thing about this product that surprised me at first was that it is super light, it hardly weighs anything - which is great for traveling and carrying it around with you, but it also feels quite sturdy and durable too.

*Setting up and Using the product*The setting up of this product was super easy! All I had to do was attach the disk drive to my netbook using the usb lead provided and then attach the other end of the lead to the product and then it was working. On the back of the box it says just 'plug and play' and it really is just that easy!

Then it is just a case of putting in the cd or dvd that you want in the drive and then thats it. it is so easy, I have used this as I needed to install my printer software to my netbook and also the microsoft office software and both times using this product it was easy, quick and there were not problems.

One thing about this product that is a small drawback is that it is a little bit noisy, but most internal disk drives are. And when the disk is in the drive and it is spinning, the product does vibrate/move a bit but it is nothing much. Other than that it is great!

*Price*I bought this from pc world and I reserved it online and it was only £22.49 which is a really great price as others can be about £60. It was this price online and when it was reserved but when we went to get it from a pc world store on the shelf it was being sold for £39.99 I think which is quite a big difference, so if you are going to get a external disk drive I would recommend this one - just reserve it or order it online!

ConclusionsGood points*Sleek and simple design*Very light weight - although it does feel quite durable and sturdy*no setting up or installing needed - just plug and play*Very simple to use*Good price *Comes with its own usb cable and instruction manual *Very slim and small so it is great for traveling/carrying around with you

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A fantastic device that will suit those on the move

I purchased the eTDU108 for use with my Sony Viao notebook, which was not equipped with an internal CD ROM drive. It did come with an external drive, but this was heavier than I preferred, and since I use my notebook on the move a lot I wanted a CD ROM drive that was sleek and lightweight. This product certainly suited my needs in this capacity.

The eTDU108 has dimensions of 14.3 x 14.2 x 2 cm, and connects to your notebook via a single USB cable. What makes this product so fantastic is its simplicity, not only because it connects with so few cables, but also because once it is plugged in it is ready to go. As soon as you insert its USB cable into your notebook it is immediately responsive, and there is a much shorter recognition period than that displayed by my Viao's external drive. This was ideal for me, as I often exhibit impatience when working with my computer.

To operate the device you simply need to hit the manual eject key located on the front, and the lid will open. You must then insert the audio CD/DVD or software disk - the drive supports both 8cm and 12cm varieties - onto the central spinner, close the lid and it will begin playing almost immediately. I have never had any problems with the disk not being recognised by my computer, and while I have noticed a small degree of stalling once or twice I believe this has been due to smudging on the surface of the disk and not a problem with the device itself.

The eTDU108 is available in a choice of four colours - white, black, red and blue. I own a white one, as I felt it would best suit my notebook, which is silver. The retail value of this product is £29.99, although I purchased mine for £19 online. I have owned the drive for six months, and use it on average a couple of times a week. It is reliable and durable, and even at full retail value I believe this to be a bargain.